Entertainment

8 League of Legends players to watch this season

A new year means a new chance for top League of Legends teams to prove themselves the best in the world. Many Summoners have come and gone over the course of the spring split. After nine weeks of intense competition, North America and Europe are now gearing up for playoffs.

Which teams will emerge victorious for each region? These eight players stood out as ones to watch from North America and Europe when the big games begin in April (we'll have a separate list for the SE Asian teams).

1. Reignover

It’s a near-impossible task to highlight just one player from NA’s Immortals. The newly formed team played a nearly undefeated season, and that success was indeed a team effort. The brazen aggression from Wildturtle, the flexibility of Pobelter, the power from Huni and the leadership of Adrian have all been excellent. But it’s the lethal mastery in the jungle by Reignover that turned the most heads. He’s widely considered the best North America jungler, participating in nearly every first blood for the team and currently leading the NA LCS in kill/death/assist ratio.

2. Forg1ven

H2K was the EU favorite for many experts and fans before the season ever began and they have delivered on that promise this split. Forg1ven, the team’s AD carry, has been a critical part in H2K’s success. His experience and smart play has kept them at the top of the standings, even as H2K had to use a replacement mid lane player for much of the split. With the uncertainty of his required military service in Greece looming over his future League career, Forg1ven is likely to leave it all out on the Rift during the playoffs.

3. Hai

Cloud9 fought hard for a top spot in the spring. The team coalesced into quite the powerhouse thanks to the shot-calling of support player Hai. He’s been able to harness the strong individual players of C9’s roster into an explosive, intimidating team. Plus he’s equally capable of making the big plays happen on his own.

4. Perkz

G2 has been a wild card in the EU league, surprising many with the top seed at the end of the spring split. And while much of their success has come from good teamwork, at the literal center of it is the young mid-laner, Perkz. The rising star has shown prowess with a range of champions over the split, plus racking up impressive stats over the split in Creep Score-per-minute and kill/death/assist radio.

5. Dardoch

Team Liquid had some erratic days out on the Rift this spring, but when the team was good, it was on the back of freshman jungler Dardoch. In his first appearance in the NA LCS, he has displayed the confidence and game sense of a seasoned vet. He has also shown ease in collaborations with Lourlo in the top lane and with Matt on support, plus growing into his own as a shot-caller for the team. After this rookie debut, it’s safe to expect big things in Dardoch’s future.

6. Cabochard

Team Vitality stayed in close contention for the top throughout the split. Cabochard has been seeking glory in the top lane, often executing impressive carry plays with his lone wolf style. He went undefeated with both Graves and Nautilus during the spring, and was a strong presence in helping Vitality secure big win after big win. Even though the team wasn’t able to secure a first-round bye in playoffs, Cabochard and his teammates are still looking to prove that they deserve to be called the best of EU.

7. Darshan

Counter Logic Gaming came into the spring split hot after an appearance at the 2015 World Championship in October. The crew battled their way to a second-place finish in the North American region with their tight yet aggressive style. The standout in this team is top-laner Darshan. He’s an ambitious player, willing to take big risks and with the skills to usually emerge unscathed. In fact, it was his audacious gamble that helped CLG score the lone win against the Immortals.

8. Rekkles

For a team with such legacy, Fnatic often struggled this split. The five players looked shaky in some games, but found decisive victory in others. Over the course of the season, though, the one to watch was AD carry Rekkles. His play grew increasingly confident, especially after the team’s big performance at IEM Katowice. If Rekkles can continue on his current trajectory and can help rally his teammates, fans can expect to see a respectable showing in playoffs and a more cohesive front in the summer.

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